Gravity soon took over as Thane began to plummet to the ground floor, his screams of panic lost to the sound of rushing wind in his ears.
"Oh fuck, oh fuck!" Holding out his arms and legs to try and control his descent Thane opened his PRD and scrolled through the various Leylines in range. Luckily for him, there weren't that many, and soon he found the repulsor mines attached to the soles of his shoes.
'I've got to time this right.' Looking down, Thane started a countdown in his head, 'five…four…three…two…one!'
Activating the mines, Thane screamed this time in pain as a wave of pure force threatened to break his legs as the mine triggered a few feet above the ground.
For a moment, Thane froze in midair as the mines canceled the effects of gravity for a second, then time resumed, and he fell the last seven feet.
Landing on his suitcase, Thane grunted as the wind was knocked out of him, "Fuck…." The word was drawn out as Thane struggled to his feet.
Blinking the tears from his eyes, Thane looked around to see that a small gathering had formed around him. Multiple sets of unblinking eyes stared at him before anyone could say anything. A gruff voice shouted out, breaking the silence.
"There he is. How the hell did he survive that fall?!" Thane whirled around to see the group of gangsters stepping out of the elevator before spotting him and breaking out into a run.
"Shit got to go!" Thane grabbed his suitcase, using it as a battering ram to knock aside those in the crowd who didn't move out of his way.
Sprinting for the street, Thane looked around wildly for an unoccupied lift car, "Shit, shit, shit, shit!"
Thane's chest started throbbing as his lungs protested, 'Goddamnit, I hate cardio,' running alongside the street. Thane opened his PRD and tried to call for a car, 'Come on, come on.'
"Get back here, you dammit!" Against his better judgment, Thane looked behind him and yelped when he saw the gang of thugs a few yards behind him and gaining fast.
Turning back around, Thane tried to run even faster, but his steps faltered, and his head spun. Just as Thane was about to throw his luggage back at the thugs, a lift car ahead of him suddenly whirled to life as the side door opened.
Thane watched as one long leg stepped out, followed by the most imposing man Thane had ever seen. He was tall, nearly seven feet, with a barrel chest and arms. However, there was a refined air clinging to the gentleman as his pearl white hair was combed perfectly to both sides.
His impressive frame was contained in a sharp suit with white gloves and polished leather shoes, "Thane Vapos, my employer, would like to have a word with you."
Sliding to a stop in front of the man, Thane gasped, "If…you can deal…with the guys…chasing me…your employer can have a sentence for all I care."
A smile stretched across the old man's face at Thane's joke, "Very well, you may wait in the car. I shall only be a moment."
"Who the fuck are you?!" The sound of the thug's voice caused Thane to jump as he moved to put the mysterious stranger between him and the group of murderous criminals.
"My name is Charles. May I ask what your query is with my client?" Charles looked at the gang leader without hostility, acting as if he had just asked for his favorite tea brand.
The thug snarled, "That little shit has been gone for a month. Last I heard, he was the reason why our boss got himself locked up. I just wanted to confirm if the rumors were true. I don't know what deal you have with him, but you sure as hell don't want to get in our way."
At his prompting, the rest of the group raised their guns, "You may be on the bigger side, but plasma doesn't care about size."
Thane's heart was racing as his eyes flicked between Charles and the gun-wielding thugs, "Must this come to blows? I just bought these shoes and am rather fond of them."
The leader's head shifted slightly to look at the shoes in question. That's when things got weird. As soon as the leader's head dipped, Charles was suddenly in front of the man even though they had been five feet apart.
"What the-" a startled yelp of surprise was all the gang leader was able to get out before Charles grabbed the barrel of his gun and crushed it.
The sound of warping metal assaulted Thane's ears, but a second later, everything was quiet as everyone stared at the mangle length of metal around Charles's fist.
The man stepped back without taking his eyes off the group, letting go of the crumpled metal, "Leave now and erase any memory of what happened today from your minds, or there will be hell to pay." Again Charles's voice was soft and casual as if he hadn't just crumpled metal like it was paper.
Thane watched as, without another word, the gang fled, almost tripping over themselves, trying to put distance between them and the monster in disguise.
"Good riddance," Charles muttered as he wiped off the nonexistent lint from his clothing, "I do apologize for the delay Thane. As I was saying before, my employer knows the troubles you're facing and is willing to offer her aid."
Thane didn't respond immediately, instead looking the man up and down, "You're an Arbiter, aren't you." It wasn't a question, but Charles still smiled, "Retired, but yes, I am an Arbiter. Now shall we get going?"
Thane only needed a few minutes to think before moving towards the lift car, "I think the least I can do is thank your employer for helping me, but other than that, I can't agree to anything."
Charles laughed lightly, "How polite of you, but I assure you that it is in your best interest to listen to the Mrs. with an open mind. Most would kill to have an audience with her."
As he sat in the lush seats of the lift car Thane realized that most of the vehicle had been redesigned with a carpeted floor and wood accents, 'this is a private car, and not a cheap one.'
Thane was suddenly wondering just who had taken an interest in him when the car thrummed with power as it took off.
---
When the car finally stopped, Thane seriously regretted having stepped into the car, "We have arrived." Charles informed Thane from the seat across from him as the door opened.
At Charles's gesture, Thane stepped out of the car and stopped as he looked around. They were parked in a roundabout driveway in front of the largest house Thane had ever seen. The building was essentially one giant metal cube, but with wooden accents and cuts that resemble an old architect style ironically called modern, utilizing geometric shapes to achieve a compact but regal look.
The large manor sat in the middle of a vibrant green lawn with bushes and flowers spotting the yard. Tentatively taking off his mask, Thane inhaled and smiled as the fresh air filled his lungs.
Charles looked down at Thane in concern, "Is everything alright?"
Nodding, Thane frowned, "I can't remember the last time I could breathe freely. When I use this mask, it makes the air taste like ozone."
"Well, as long as you're here, you should be able to go unmasked as long as you want, Thane." Charles smiled before gesturing at the house and the staircase, "But please, the Mrs. has been dying to see you for some time."
Sighing, Thane walked forward, "Let's not keep her waiting then."
Walking through the halls of the manor, Thane was surprised by the minimalist approach of the decorum. In fact, the more of the building he saw, the more Thane got the sense that it wasn't a living space.
"Charles, this place isn't a home, is it?" Thane asked, not being able to hold himself back any longer. The giant of a man looked over his shoulder with a smile, "Very observant, aren't you? The Mrs. will like that. But yes, to answer your question, this is not a home. It's a training and research facility. Normally it would be fully staffed, but around this time of year, the company gives its employees time off."
Thane was silent for the rest of the impromptu tour as everything blended together. By the time they reached a set of polished metal doors, Thane could barely remember how turns they had taken.
Turning to Thane, Charles cleared his throat, "The Mrs. will see you now, Thane. Please don't do anything rash, or I will be forced to act."
"You, bending metal with your bare hands is enough of a deterrent for me," Thane muttered before stepping up to the doors, which slid aside to let him into the room.
Entering the room, Thane was suddenly reminded of the last time he stepped into a room to see someone, "Is there a problem?"
A soft feminine voice shocked Thane out of his memory. Blinking, Thane stared at the woman sitting behind a sleek metal desk, "Unfortunately, a lot of them, yes, but I've been told you could solve some of them."
The woman smiled, flashing brilliant white teeth, "You're a quick thinker, aren't you? This might take longer than I thought. Please have a seat."
Taking one of two chairs facing the desk, Thane didn't take his eyes off the woman. She had fair skin and dark straight hair cut short. She seemed relatively normal to Thane. He got the sense as if he was missing something.
"Is there anything I can get you, maybe a drink? You must be thirsty after all that running." The woman said with a teasing smile on her face.
Unfazed, Thane shook his head, "No, thank you, and excuse my bluntness, but I would like to skip all the formalities and get straight to the negotiation. Mainly, what do you want from me, and what can I get from you in return? I have little value besides the organs in my body, and I know that isn't why you wanted to see me."
The woman's smile slipped as a mask of professionalism took over, "Very well, Thane, my name is Olivia Regis, and as you most likely know, I am the current CFO and major stockholder of AetherTechnologies, a weapon manufacturing company that produces 99% of the equipment used by the BAF in and out of combat including power armor. I know what you were involved with and why you aren't in prison. In fact, I have a copy of the agreement you signed, which is important as this conversation falls under your NDA by law. Now I am offering a place to stay and the same training facilities used for AetherTechnologies finest agents who often accompany Arbiters out on the surface."
Thane had to admit he was speechless as he tried to keep up with the barrage of information Olivia had just thrown at him, "W-while that is a very generous offer, Mrs. Regis, I still don't understand why you would go through the effort-"
"You misunderstand Thane," Olivia said, cutting him off with a raised hand, "I'm not at risk of losing anything, and there is nothing I stand to gain besides your goodwill. The only reason why I even know you exist is that you were able to repair and, I dare say, improve a set of power armor using shoddy equipment that should have no place working the way it did. So I had my people do some digging and then discovered a surprising detail: you were born with a rare genetic mutation. You should have been hospitalized, but you developed your own breathing apparatus at only ten years of age. Then there is the reality of your current situation, you're in debt more than anyone your age should be in, and your only hope is to enroll in the Academy, which raises Bastion's strongest weapons in the form of Arbiters. Others have had years to prepare. But I believe, Thane, that people are refined through hardships, and your life has been trial after trial. Even if you don't make it into the Academy, all you would have to do is become an employee of AetherTechnolgies to avoid going to jail which I would be more than happy to sign off on."
Thane once again was stunned into silence. He had never heard so much praise from a single person. Thane never expected to be rewarded or noticed for his actions outside of people who wished to profit off his intellect.
But something about Olivia's words seemed sincere, and her eyes only shone with admiration instead of malicious intent.
"I'm going, to be honest, I can't refuse your offer. I'm way in over my head with no other options left. Going back to my apartment would be a death sentence, and without a place to stay, there isn't a chance I can get in shape in time for the entrance exam." It pained Thane on a near physical level as he laid out all his cards for Olivia, and he could only wait to see her reaction totally and entirely at her mercy.
After a long moment, however, Olivia smiled, "I'm truly touched by your show of trust, Thane. I swear it won't be betrayed. You can start training tomorrow, but you should rest tonight. Charles will show you the way to your room."
Olivia gestured to the door, "We can speak more tomorrow, but I have some pressing matters to attend to. I hope you understand."
"Of course, thank you again," Thane muttered before he stood silently and left.
The room was silent as Olivia stared at the door where Thane had disappeared through. Going back to her work, Olivia wasn't given a moment of rest; a few minutes later, her door was opened again.
"I just talked with Charles, and he said we have a guest around my age. Who is he?" The girl snapped, her eyes sparkling with anger.
Olivia didn't look impressed by the girl's outrage, "Why are you screaming? I asked you to speak, not throw a tantrum like some petulant child. Now use your words or get out."
Naomie gritted her teeth before she sighed, "Charles said that they would be joining my daily training, which I believe will split his attention. I can't fall short when the exam is right around the corner. So I believe I'm due an explanation."
Olivia's eyes sharpened as she turned to glare at Naomie, "I have taken an interest in this young man's skills. I believe he will make a valuable asset to the company. And if you are really concerned about falling short, you should be out there training instead of whining to me."
Naomie stiffened as if she had been struck, spinning on her heel. Naomie left the room through the door she came in, which slid back in place behind her.
Alone again, Olivia sighed, "I guess she really is my daughter."